Now, on select 2006 sailings, even the most passionate of food lovers can further enrich their culinary experiences and savoir faire by choosing to participate in pre- and post-cruise “Master Class” shore trips celebrating the captivating regional gastronomy of Paris, Monte Carlo, Tokyo and Sydney.

Paris/Monte Carlo: Birthplace of Le Cordon Bleu

In a fitting start – or conclusion – to “living the luxury” on a Le Cordon Bleu cruise aboard the Seven Seas Voyager, guests are invited to join chefs and executives from the famed Parisian cooking school for an evening and day in the “city of light,” featuring a visit to the Le Cordon Bleu school for an exclusive demonstration of the French “arts of cooking.” In addition to enjoying tantalizing gourmet treats and a champagne cooking demonstration at the magnificent Chateau de Briottieris Angers (a magnificent family-owned stately home in the heart of peaceful Anjou), guests will shop for fresh seasonal ingredients as a Le Cordon Bleu Chef guides them through one of Paris’s 80 markets to purchase ingredients for the day’s lunch and dinner.

The three-night program includes one night in a junior suite at the Grand Hotel Intercontinental Paris, two nights at the Château de Briottieris Angers, round-trip transfers by air conditioned mini van from Paris, all airport transfers, one-way economy flight Nice/Paris, full breakfast daily, two lunches, two dinners to include wine, plus a Champagne toast and cooking demonstrations at the Le Cordon Bleu school. The June 6 pre-cruise program is $3,975 per person, double occupancy, $6,175 for single accommodations. The June 19 post-cruise program is $3,895 per person, double occupancy, $6,375 for single accommodations.

Tokyo: French Meets Asian

The Le Cordon Bleu school in Tokyo is a hidden gem, combining classic French with Japanese cooking styles. Guests on these Seven Seas Mariner cruises also visit Tokyo’s famed fish market as they learn how to adapt classic European cooking to the exotic flavors of the East. In Tokyo, culinary enthusiasts will enjoy a cooking demonstration and Sake tasting at the school, sit down to dinner with their Le Cordon Bleu chef at an exclusive local restaurant, and dine at the Asian/French fusion restaurant La Foret.

Per person prices of $1,995, double occupancy, and $3,395 for single accommodations for the October 2 pre- and post-cruise program include two nights at the Four Seasons Hotel Chinzan-so (in a setting of historic Japanese gardens), airport transfers, full breakfast daily, one lunch, two dinners to include wine, and Sake tasting and cooking demonstrations at the Le Cordon Bleu school.

Sydney: Le Cordon Bleu Down Under

This delectable pre-cruise program of the Seven Seas Mariner blends the Le Cordon Bleu school experience with a highlight tour of Australian cuisine and wine. While taking in the sweeping views of the Sydney Opera House, guests will enjoy attentive Asian hospitality and the guidance of a Le Cordon Bleu chef. The program includes dinner at The Wharf Restaurant in Walsh Bay, in the waterfront district; a visit to the bustling fish market; a cooking demonstration and wine tasting at the Sydney Fish School; and a Sydney harbor cruise stopping at Watson’s Bay for an authentic Australian barbecue dinner and Australian wine pairing.

The two-night pre-cruise tour on October 15 is $1,495 per person, double occupancy, $1,945 for single accommodation, including two nights at the Shangrila (Harbor View Rooms), airport transfers, full breakfast daily, two dinners to include wine, and a food tasting and cooking demonstrations at the Le Cordon Bleu school.

Le Cordon Bleu Cooking Workshops on Select Voyages

Culinary novices and veterans alike can participate in six-hours of optional hands-on Le Cordon Bleu “Classe Culinaire des Croísičres,” taught by master chefs in intimate classes of 16 on five Regent Seven Seas voyages in 2006. The cooking classes are featured aboard the June 9 and November 12 sailings of the Seven Seas Voyager, and on the September 20, November 1 and November 30 voyages aboard the Seven Seas Mariner. Cost is $395 per person.